Prince of Persia: Lost Crown review – “Royalty lost in the mobile world”

by

  • Bringing the latest PoP adventure to mobile
  • Sweet and simple with onscreen controls that work
  • It’s still got some fast and satisfying fight and flight moments

Certain names have the power to stir emotions within us. They transport us back to moments we initially encountered them, complete with all the memories – good and bad – associated with those experiences. The moniker “Prince of Persia” is one such name that may not resonate with many outside the realm of Persian royalty, but its significance was first recognized when it debuted on the Apple 2 in 1989.

After all these years, the latest addition to the series, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (brought to us by Ubisoft), is making a comeback on Apple devices as it gears up for an iOS release. There’s something quite symbolic about this, but we’ll have to wait and see just how much the Prince has evolved since his days of pixelated graphics and mechanical movements.

What is Prince of Persia: Lost Crown?


The Prince of Persia timeline is another one of the gaming greats in that no one casually knows which adventure goes where and why. In Prince of Persia: Lost Crown, we’re guessing it occurs sometime before the iconic Sands of Time. In the earlier days of the Persian Empire, the land was attacked by various outside forces. Though the armies can hold their ground, the enemy is powerful, so Persia must call on the Immortals: Seven champions gifted with superior strength and magic who can repel the invaders.

The narrative focuses on Sargon, the youngest warrior of their group, who receives a personal audience with the Queen and Persian Prince due to his recent victory. After a brief celebration, they learn about the Prince’s abduction, prompting Sargon to chase after the culprit. It turns out that Anahita, another Immortal, is responsible. Driven by the need to rescue the Prince and uncover the reasons for this treachery, Sargon embarks on a journey, and we’ll join him along the way.

We are found in Prince of Persia: Lost Crown

Following the surprising and impressive victory of Sands of Time, the Prince of Persia series became known for its agile, fluid 3D combat and platforming. Therefore, it was quite unexpected when Prince of Persia: Lost Crown reverted to a classic 2D platforming style, yet with significant enhancements. Firstly, it avoided making Sargon overly fragile like a rice paper dandelion, ensuring he remained tough, swift, and mobile. The game also features stylized characters and backdrops, allowing players to appreciate the setting.

Let’s delve into the topic of battles. The Prince of Persia series is renowned for providing players with an open environment to navigate effortlessly, leaping from one target to another, rebounding off walls, and swiftly decimating enemies without them even noticing your attack origin.

Instead of traditional combat mechanics, this game introduces hack-and-slash and brawler-style gameplay, where you engage in fights on multiple fronts. However, the adversaries are far from simple creatures; they’re cunning and resistant to being stunlocked. They’ll retreat, regroup, shield themselves, interrupt your attacks, and even dare to launch powerful Reckless assaults against you. The bosses, too, are worth mentioning for their impressive display in terms of presentation and performance, a play on the word “pun.

Apart from exploring its groundbreaking aspects, let’s delve into another aspect that Prince of Persia excelled at: its exceptional platforming. You’ll find yourself leaping up walls, traversing them sideways, swinging from poles, or gliding down a tapestry when not engaged in combat. Remarkably, despite losing one dimension, the 2D platforming experience remains enjoyable and satisfying in this installment.

Sargon gracefully navigates and battles opponents by moving along pre-set routes, all while maintaining a safe distance. His agile movements, which involve leaping from one location to another using grappling hooks or poles, evoke a sense of enchantment reminiscent of the 3D Prince of Persia series.

Still looking for the shine in Prince of Persia: Lost Crown

From the gameplay, it appears that Prince of Persia: Lost Crown was designed primarily for mobile platforms due to its feel and simplicity compared to its past versions. Unfortunately, when compared to other games in the series or similar ones, it lacks the unique charm that made those games stand out in our recollections. Essentially, it seems like a lighter version of Prince of Persia, which is fitting considering you don’t play as the actual Prince.

Instead, the Prince serves as the MacGuffin, while Sargon acts as the messenger tasked with retrieving it. He’s undoubtedly competent, but compared to a once-spoiled rich kid who grew through adversity using wit and humor to deal with his deep yearning for love and approval, he seems less relatable or charismatic.

Although the combat and platform function well and have satisfying moments, they also limit and lack variety and creativity. You’ll get access to items and combat techniques you can employ in your adventure, but those are just sprinkles on a cake that’s mostly icing. When you finally take a bite, you’ll feel full without having your cravings sated. This works well as a mobile entry: it’s best consumed in small bites when you have a free moment.

Unfortunately, there’s one significant obstacle preventing its mobile accessibility: the hardware requirements. Despite being less complex than other games in the series, Prince of Persia: Lost Crown is quite demanding. After bypassing the Ubisoft Connect prompts, you’ll be cautioned about your device’s capabilities, and it’s suggested to play this MOBILE game with a CONTROLLER for an optimal experience.

As a dedicated gamer, I find myself questioning the trustworthiness of touch controls, even after they’ve been streamlined considerably. It’s rather disheartening to envision the sight of whipping out my tablet and then grappling with an awkward controller for a brief gaming session on the bus.

The search begins in Prince of Persia: Lost Crown

“New Mobile Installment in the Prince of Persia Series: Ubisoft’s Prince of Persia: Lost Crown – A Blend of Action-Adventure Platforming”

Ubisoft has introduced a fresh mobile iteration within the Prince of Persia series titled “Prince of Persia: Lost Crown”. This game is a 2.5D action-adventure platformer, providing an immersive experience. The controls are responsive, visuals are fluid and aesthetically pleasing, and it effectively keeps players hooked by alternating between combat and platforming sequences.

Despite its technical constraints, limited diversity, and restricted possibilities that diminish many of the elements that made Prince of Persia remarkable, it remains an option, especially for those new to the series who are seeking a short, engaging adventure to enjoy during their spare moments. In essence, you can engage in a quest to find the lost crown.

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2025-04-16 15:49